Following on from his much-loved 'Fever Dream' EP earlier this year, London-based artist leroybroughtflowers is back to his best once again on his latest EP 'Exit Scene'.
Featuring the previously shared gem 'summer breeze', this new six-track collection makes for an incredibly warm and alluring listen throughout. Filled with rich and tender textures, a breezy atmosphere, and his own tranquil vocals at the helm, 'Exit Scene' continues his ascent as one of the more passionate names on the rise right now.
So with the new EP available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
When I was 7 years old, I started learning classical piano and I fell in love with it. It was the first time I ever played music and I did not know back then that music would define my whole life. Learning to play the piano certainly changed me and shaped me as a person and a musician.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I really loved and still love pop music. I am a big pop music fan, I keep up with major releases and new tracks and artists. I also always loved jazz, hip hop and RnB music. This is the multitude of genres that shaped my sound. However, I am the kind of listener who appreciates all genres. Not every genre is my piece of cake but I always like a good song and I am open to discovering new sounds.
What was the first album you remember owning?
When I was 8-9 years old I remember that I bought my first albums during the summer of 2009 because I found a CD store near my house. I cannot remember which one was first but my first three album purchases in the span of 1-2 weeks were Michael Jackson: The Greatest Hits, Mariah Carey's 'Butterfly' and Selena Gomez's 'Kiss & Tell'. I was obsessed with listening to these albums over and over again and I still love those artists.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
I do admire many artists and enjoy many of their songs. I guess the answer is not as simple as I would want it to be. There would be so many songs that have shaped my songwriting but I try to not get "jealous" of other people's work. I don't know if "jealous" is the right word but hopefully you get my point. I think that when you are a songwriter, it is very tricky to not have that passing thought of "Oh I wish I had written this" when you first hear a catchy tune or a nice track but it's safe to say that I have gotten rid of this notion altogether. I would not want to have written any other songs other than the ones I have written because I respect the original songwriters too much and without them, there wouldn't be said song. Everyone has their own process and experience and it should remain that way.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
The ritual differs from song to song and its music style. I would either write a song on the piano or the guitar and give it a more emotional direction or I would listen to an RNB beat that really inspires me from various beat makers around the world I work with and then I would create a song around it. I also make beats by myself but I am not nearly as good as the beat makers I have been blessed to work with.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I always go back to the great jazz artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday etc. I love listening to jazz standards more than anything. I also love the great RNB legends like Mariah, D' Angelo, Erykah Badu etc. At the moment, I am also very into NoName's 'Sundial', FKA Twigs' 'Eusexua', Billie's latest album, FINNEAS' 'For Cryin Out Loud' and many many more like the likes of Sade & Mother Mother.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
This is a very serious question. There are so many people I absolutely admire. I would say Billie Eilish or Ariana Grande would be my top choices.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Meeting people who have connected to a specific song of mine. It is the best feeling in the World. Obviously I am not a big artist yet so it has not happened a thousand times but those times that it happened have really stayed with me.
And what is the most frustrating part?
I think the most frustrating part is when you write a song and you have everything scheduled and then you go into the studio booth and the song just doesn't hit as much as you expected it to. There are times that I have written a great song, I have the perfect beat and then I record it and it just does not click. I cannot explain why but it happens and it is frustrating 'cause there goes that dream. The song is now scrapped altogether and I hate that part. But it is part of the job. You can never know how a song sounds until after you connect all the pieces together.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Madonna once said " I think the most controversial thing I have ever done is to stick around" and it really resonated with me. Sometimes the bravest thing one can do is to just keep going and not stop. I keep this notion very close to my heart. I think that the most important thing that we can do is to persevere. And that's what I keep on doing.
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leroybroughtfllowers' new EP 'Exit Scene' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.